ESCURSIONI A TERRA

Discover the charms of Granada, the architecturally stunning capital of the Andalusia region, by exploring a magnificent palace, the Royal Chapel and the city’s oldest quarter.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for scenic drive inland to Granada, a city likely named for the Spanish word for pomegranate, a fruit so abundant it is depicted on Granada’s coat of arms. Or Granada may have derived from its Moorish name, as the city was the Moors’ last stronghold before falling to Spain’s Catholic monarchs in 1492.

Granada features a wealth of extraordinary architecture such as your first stop, the Carlos V Palace within the Alhambra complex. Construction on the palace began in the early 16th century, following a Renaissance ground plan with a circular courtyard within a square building—the only one of its kind in Spain. Amazingly, a monarch has never lived in the palace, nor did it even have a roof until 1957.

Walking a bit farther, you will soon arrive in the labyrinthine streets of the Albayzin quarter (down part of the quarter), the city’s oldest section. UNESCO has deemed it a World Heritage site for its harmonious blend of Moorish and Andalusian architecture.

Nearby, you will find the glorious Royal Chapel, the final resting place of Spanish monarchs such as Queen Isabella and Kind Ferdinand. Be sure to see the chapel’s mausoleum, spectacular altarpieces and ornate grilles before enjoying free time and perhaps lunch on your own in the surrounding historical area.

Afterwards, you will drive back to Malaga.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Florence & Pisa! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time. Professional photographers & selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to Piazza della Signoria. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • Piazza della Signoria
• Santa Maria de Fiore Cathedral
• Piazza della Repubblica
• Ponte Vecchio
• Piazzale Michelangelo
• The Tower of Pisa

To make this experience even more fun, you will be provided with a selfie stick and utilize our Selfie Station in order to help catch the perfect picture. During the tour, you will stop for some traditional treats and a wine tasting.

Spend several relaxing hours at an organic farm, where you will tour the grounds and participate in workshops that demonstrate how traditional foods are made.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a meandering drive to the ecological farm Can Muson on the island’s southern coast. The fruits and vegetables grown here are 100% organic, the details of which you will discover while touring the grounds.

The produce is often sold right out of the fields at Can Muson. Chances are, you will see visitors picking their own produce such as garden lettuce, strawberries and herbs. The organic produce is also used to make traditional culinary products that range from virgin olive oil and tomato sauce to goat cheese and sponge cake.

As you meander about the serene 16-acre farm, you can expect to encounter free-roaming rabbits, chickens, pigs and hens. The animals are bred on the property in humane conditions.

After a thorough tour of Can Muson, you will join a workshop to learn how some of the organic products are made using ancestral methods. One of the most popular workshops will demonstrate how to create Hierbas Ibicencas, a renowned Ibiza spirit made with herbs such as fennel, chamomile, rosemary and sage.

The anise-flavored liqueur is often sipped neat or mixed with cranberry juice, simple sugar and lemon juice in a traditional Ibiza Sunset cocktail.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Naples! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time. Professional photographers & selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to Sorrento. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • Sorrento Viewpoint
• Lift to Water Viewpoint
• Villa Communale
• Piazza Tasso
• Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola
• Castle Nuovo

To make this experience even more fun, you will be provided with a selfie stick and utilize our Selfie Station in order to help catch the perfect picture. During the tour, you will get to taste traditional Neapolitan pizza and local beer.

Enjoy an enlightening tour of Puerto Limon as a prelude to a cultural performance and hands-on cooking class. The walking portion of the tour will begin at leafy Parque Vargas, a popular gathering place that overlooks the sea. Be sure to notice Uvita Island just offshore, as it is renowned as the spot where Christopher Columbus landed in 1502 on his fourth and final voyage to the New World. He is credited with naming Costa Rica, which is Spanish for “Rich Coast.” You will also pause to take in the sights at Playa Bonita, a beautiful stretch of sand nearby. A dance performance to live calypso music follows at the House of Culture, after which you will learn to prepare a few signature local dishes. Chances are, they will include a Costa Rican version of rice and beans, a beef-stuffed turnover and a sweet plantain tart. Later, you will snack on your tasty concoctions.

Explore the west coast of Tenerife, a gorgeous landscape of remote villages and banana plantations. Have privilege views over the fertile Orotava valley from the Humbold viewpoint. Over time, sugarcane, grapes and bananas became the dominant crops, and they are still harvested using traditional techniques. To completely understand how the crops are cultivated and packaged for export, you will tour a private banana plantation. The workers will describe the process before serving you a sampling of locally grown bananas and banana liqueur. On the way back to pier, stop at La Garañona Viewpoint, local´s favorite spot to take in the beauty of the sea and surrounding.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain an understanding of how crops are harvested using traditional methods.
• Watch bananas being cultivated for export at a plantation.
• Visit an ancient garden hosting the largest orchid collection on the Island .
• Sample several varieties of bananas and banana liqueur, which attest to the fruit’s diversity.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Mykonos! Selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to the Beach of St. John. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • The Beach of St. John
• Little Venice
• Beach of Kalafatis
• Ano mera
• A Mykonian farm
• Mykonian Old Town

To make this experience even more fun, you will be provided with a selfie stick and utilize our Selfie Station in order to help catch the perfect picture. During your visit to the Mykonian farm, you’ll be able to enjoy some local wine traditional treats.

Drive a Jeep through downtown Nassau and its suburbs, taking in attractions such as the caves where the indigenous Lucayans once lived and then pausing to relax at the beach..

After a short walk from the pier, you will hop into a Jeep Wrangler and hit the open road. There is plenty to see during your time behind the wheel, starting with downtown Nassau, the capital, largest city and cultural hub of the Bahamas..

You will drive through the colorful shopping district on Bay Street and see highlights such as palm-dotted Rawson Square, lovely government buildings such as the Supreme Court and the pink-hued House of Assembly. You will then head west past lovely Cable Beach and on towards the Nassau Caves for a photo stop..

The Lucayans, the original residents of the Bahamas once lived in these caverns. Settlers later used the caves for religious services and the guano inside to fertilize their crops..

You will drive along JFK Drive, which recognizes President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 meeting in Nassau to discuss Polaris, the United Kingdom’s submarine-based nuclear-weapons program. The fabulous and sprawling Baha Mar resort is another Bahamian landmark that you will pass. .

Free time on one of Nassau’s most inviting beaches follows, during which you might stroll along the shore, bask in the sun or simply admire the natural beauty and serenity of the sea. Then after a bountiful lunch at the Bahamian Grill, you will return to the pier..

Sail across Pillsbury Sound to the enchanting island of St. John on a catamaran and then snorkel in the turquoise waters just offshore. All that is required of you is to sit back and relax as the catamaran glides along the eastern end of St. Thomas and continues to St. John, the most pristine of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In time, you will arrive at Honeymoon Beach within the Virgin Islands National Park. You will be free to snorkel, stroll along the sugar-white beach and relax as you see fit. You might stretch out on a beach towel, linger in the shade of a coconut palm and swim in the sea with nothing on your mind other than enjoying yourself. On the return cruise to St. Thomas, the champagne will be flowing and an array of cheeses, freshly baked breads and fresh tropical fruits will be served.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sail on a sleek catamaran to neighboring St. John, half of which is a national park.
• Snorkel the crystal-clear waters off Honeymoon Beach on the island’s western edge.
• Bask in the sun, relax on the beach and delight in the natural beauty.
• Celebrate the adventure with a tropical beverage from the open bar on the return cruise.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Santorini! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time. Professional photographers & selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to the Aroma Avlis. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • Aroma Avlis
• The Blue Domes Churches of Oia
• Church Bells in Fira

Come experience the world famous, magnificent ruins of the walled city of Tulum, the only Mayan city built right on the blue Caribbean Sea! After a 45-minute ferry to Playa del Carmen, your guide will lead you to an air-conditioned motor coach for a scenic and informative one-hour drive to Tulum.

Once there, your guide will escort you through the ruins giving a complete narration along the way. See the restored temples and some of the mysterious hieroglyphic writings still visible today. Visit the temple of the frescos, famous for the detailed carved figures and original paints. And perched on the edge of the Caribbean and rising high above all of the other ruins is “El Castillo” with its breathtaking view of the aqua-colored water below.

Once back in Playa del Carmen, you may have free time for shopping etc., depending on the ferry schedule. There will be a stop on the way to Tulum to purchase food, refreshments, souvenirs and use of the restroom.

Spend free time exploring a series of sea caves and an inland village that was the island’s first capital. The Ajuy sea caves are on the other side of Fuerteventura and on the way to this national monument you will get a genuine feel for the island’s volcanic landscape. To reach the voluminous caves, you will follow a short trail through bizarrely shaped, fossilized dunes. The caves’ gaping entries will be quite the sight as will the geological wonders inside. The stone towers that you will see along the walkways are old lime kilns that were used when many of the local residences were constructed. Time will also be allotted for you to meander through Betancuria, a village that French explorer Jean de Béthencourt founded in 1404. Although the Norman Gothic-style Church of Santa María de Betancuria is the architectural highlight, the Museum of Sacred Art is also well worth browsing.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Walk through the high-ceilinged Ajuy Sea Caves, a Canary Islands national monument.
• Stroll at your leisure through the village of Betancuria, the island’s first capital.
• Marvel at the island’s volcanic landscape as you travel to and from its western coast.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.